Women's Health

Tools & Resources

Clinical Breast Examination

Guide

How It Is Done continued...

First,
your health professional will ask you questions about any problems you may
have, your medical history, and your
risk factors for breast cancer. Talk to your health professional about any
areas of your breasts you may be concerned about.

Your health
professional will then examine each breast, underarm, and collarbone area for
changes in breast size, skin changes, or signs of injury or infection, such as
bruising or redness. You may be asked to lift your arms over your head, put
your hands on your hips, or lean forward and press your hands together to
tighten the muscle beneath each breast during this part of the examination. You
may also lie flat on the table and put your arm behind your head while your
health professional checks your breast tissue.

Your health
professional will feel (palpate) each breast for any unusual or painful areas
or for a dominant lump. A dominant lump in the breast is any lump that is new,
larger, harder, or different in any other way from other lumps or the rest of
the breast tissue.

Your health professional will gently press on
the breast tissue from about
1 in. (2.5 cm) below the breast
up to the collarbone. He or she also will examine your armpit (axillary area)
and your neck for swollen glands (lymph nodes).
Your health professional will likely press gently on your nipple to check for
any discharge.

After the examination, your health professional
may teach you how to examine your own breasts (breast self-examination) and help you practice doing it.

How It Feels

A clinical breast examination normally
does not cause any discomfort unless your breasts are tender.

Risks

There are no risks in having a clinical breast
examination.

Results

A clinical breast examination (CBE) is a
physical examination of the breast done by a health professional. Findings of a
clinical breast examination may include the following.

Clinical breast examination

Normal:

The nipples, breast tissue, and areas around the breast
look normal and are normal in size and shape. One breast may be slightly larger
than the other.

A small area of firm tissue may be present in the lower
curve of the breast below the nipple.

Tenderness or lumpiness that occurs in both breasts is
normal for many women. Many women have the same lumpiness or thickening in both
breasts during the menstrual cycle.

A clear or milky discharge (galactorrhea) may be present
when the nipple is squeezed. This may be caused by nursing, breast stimulation,
hormones, or some other normal cause.

One breast may have more glandular tissue (lumps) than the
other one, especially in the upper outer quadrant of the breast.

Abnormal:

A firm lump or area of thickening may be present in one of
your breasts.

Changes in the color or feel of your breast or nipple may
be present. This can include wrinkling, dimpling, thickening, or puckering or
an area that feels grainy, stringy, or thickened.

A nipple may sink into the breast. A red, scaly rash or
sore may be found on the nipple.

Redness or warmth over a painful lump or over an entire
breast may be present. This may be caused by an infection (abscess or
mastitis) or cancer.

Cyclic breast pain,
fibrocystic changes, or
cysts may just be rechecked to see if they change or
go away on their own. Cysts may also be checked by
ultrasound or drained with a needle (aspirated) to
make sure they are cysts and to help relieve pain.